St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-08-20
SMOKES DREAM.
THE STORY OF A SUPERSTITION OF
THE RACE TRACK.
Recollection of "Paw-Paw," the Noted
Turfman-The Famous Gainesville Con-
test and How He Came to Stake His
Money on the Winning Colt, Longfellow.

Money on the winning tolt, LonSIeloW.
People who follow the turf are apt to
be strong believers in luck and have all
sorts of superstitions in regard to good
and bad omens During the last race
meeting at New Orleans I had a good
deal of entertainment one day when rain
had stopped the racing listening to the
talk about ups and downs of sporting
life that went on among party of turf
men sitting in the St. Charles Hotel.
Among the number was an old-timer
who went by the nickname of "Paw-
| Paw" and who had the reputation of
being very lucky in picking out the win
ners. He was quiet fellow, having but
little to say as rule, but he had an air
of shrewdness and good-humor. that
was very inviting. Some of the party
endeavored to draw him out in regard to
his experiences, and he told a story
about how he had once made big Win
ming through dream that interested me
very much. you know" he said, chow
once at Gainesville I cleaned out the
booksellers by backing the Longfellow
colt You fellows all remember how we
used to laugh at that colt, and how we
guyed his owner. believed just as you
did that he was of no account, and yet
the old man told me repeatedly that he
would get the black fellow in shape and
then he would run from cen to cen
just like his daddy did
II was in a quandary about that
Gainesville race. | didn't like old Johns
mare, and | was afraid of that Texas
mare. didn't know which way to place
my money, and | began to think that my
usual good luck had deserted me. | had
about made up my mind to let the race
go without a ticket and SC stand on the
side and see you fellows get left. 1t was
the day before the race and | had made
an early start in order to see the Dallas
horse get his fast mile. | was rather
pleased with the showing he made, and
felt that had pointer to work on for
that race at least. In this mood | wan
dered around the stables, chatting with
a rubber here, a driver there and a nimble
jockey next. Their talk had put me in
splendid humor, and | was not sur
prised when was hailed with:
"'Hello, boss, how is We dis mornin' p
II turned around and found Smoke
bowling and scraping at my elbow.
elbows the big colt? | asked.
"'Well, boss, likes him awful we'll
dis mornin'. He looked his work well,
went so fast he burned de wind an never
switched de tail once 'spect dat Teller
is purity nigh due, an Use gwine to
watch him close, for dis niggah wants
some new clothes and dat brack debbil
has got to yearn EN-
"Of course I laughed at Smoke for l
knew he thought the colt the fastest ami
NAL in the South, yet felt that the boy
was honest in his opinion, and so that
night bought few pools on him, pay
ing dollar for the privilege of winning
over hundred with each ticket
THE morning of the race found me at
the track bright and early, and soon the
flyers are spinning around the circle.
| The old mare came out all blanketed and
was giving us sample of the slow gal
lop; then the Texas gray circled round
and round the track in her usual short,
quick gallop. | didn't pay much atten-
| ton to the others, for thought the race
was between these two, and, possibly,
the Longfellow colt. | missed Smoke
and the colt, but this didn't bother me
any; in fact, | had forgotten all about the
tickets had in my pocket until passed
the colts box and saw Smoke looking
| at the colt in a sorrowful way.
"'Hello, Smoke do you ride the win
ner to-day?' l asked.
"'I dreamed | did last night. boss, but
de Internal brack debbil acts the rogue
dis mornin', and wants to jump de fence
replied the black.
"'Dreamed you rode winner. Why,
"Smoke," have you taken to drink? /
semi-seriously questioned.
"'No, boss, I hasn't drinked drop so
far, and I reckons it's too late to begin
training now. But eff didn't dream dat
l won de race wild dat brack debbil, I
hopes dat may nebber see my ole mud
der again
CHOW, "Smoke," do you think Pm
going to believe that yarn?' l replied.
The rascal looked at me, and then looked
up and down the walk in front of the
boxes. He then pulled me in and shut
the doors. The blankets were quickly
pulled off the colt, and he was picture.
His jet black coat glistened in the dim
light that struggled through the small
window at the end of the stall. and, all
in all, he looked the picture of his
feet-footed and game sire. His bright
eyes seemed to belle the story of his
roguery, his well-muscled quarters
trembled with suppressed excitement,
while his thin nostrils expanded and con-
tracted in a regular clock-work way. It
seemed shame that such splendid ami
NAL should possess a single bad quality,
for he looked the perfection Of equine ex-
cellence. He allowed Smoke to handle
him at will and seemed to enjoy the odd
air that the niger hummed. The blank
cts were finally replaced and Smoke
seated himself on box while the colt
turned to a small pile of dustless and
well-matured hay.
"'Tell me about your dream I said to
Smoke seeing that he was itching to
say something.
ssYou see, boss he began. Iknows